Co-operative, modular, unmanned, vertical lift cargo vehicles

A cargo lift system comprising:

• a plurality of unmanned vertical lift generating machines separated from each, other by a distance and each vertical lift generating machine further comprises an onboard flight computer and flight controls responsive to the onboard flight computer;
• a master controller selected as an elected one of the onboard flight computers, said master controller coordinated movements of the plurality of unmanned vertical lift generating machines;
• wherein each onboard flight computer adjusts, as a function of a configuration of the plurality of lift generating machines operating as a multiple vehicle configuration (MVC) and the position of the individual lift generating machine within the MVC, to compute a desired attitude and position with respect to the other vehicles;
• a coupling system for connecting a cargo to each of the plurality of unmanned vertical lift generating machines;
• wherein the plurality of unmanned vertical lift generating machines are separated from each other by beams and further comprise load sensing attachments for the beams, said onboard flight computers controlling the flight controls to limit static and dynamic forces imparted on the beams as measured by the load sensing attachments.

A method for cargo lift comprising:

• determining a load weight and configuration;
• selecting a number of individual lift vehicles required to provide the necessary lift, each lift vehicle having a coaxial counter rotating disc rotor and a fuselage base structure housing an unmanned sensor suite;
• assembling the individual lift vehicles into a multiple vehicle configuration (MVC) by interconnection through a selected one of a semi-rigid connection or a rigid connection;
• measuring force data at the connection;
• and,
• providing autonomous control of the MVC by an elected master controller with individual collective and cyclic control of each lift vehicle by an onboard flight computer for MVC flight path control and a desired attitude and position with respect to the other vehicles to minimize connection loads in the interconnection.

A method for cargo lift comprising;

• determining a load weight and configuration;
• selecting a number of individual lift vehicles required to provide the necessary lift;
• implementing individual lift vehicle control through an onboard flight controller in each lift vehicle to maintain lift vehicle separation using vehicle encoded mutual range sensing;
• assembling the individual lift vehicles with a beam connection into a multiple vehicle configuration (MVC);
• and,
• providing autonomous control of the MVC by an elected master controller with individual collective and cyclic control of each lift vehicle by the onboard flight computer for MVC flight path control;
• and,
• measuring force data at the beam connection and providing flight control with the flight control computer in each lift vehicle to minimize static and dynamic forces on the interconnecting beam.

A method for cargo lift comprising;

• determining a load weight and configuration;
• selecting a number of individual lift vehicles required to provide the necessary lift;
• assembling the individual lift vehicles into a multiple vehicle configuration (MVC) by
• positioning a selected number of lift vehicles with a ground robot;
• positioning beams intermediate the lift vehicles with the ground robot;
• and,
• interconnecting the lift vehicles with the beams using quick disconnects;
• and,
• providing autonomous control of the MVC by an elected master controller with individual collective and cyclic control of each lift vehicle by an onboard flight computer for MVC flight path control.